Current Affairs Questions

Explanation :

• Blue hydrogen is made from CH₄ and CO₂ is stored underground to prevent them causing climate change.
• Green hydrogen is produced using renewable energy and electrolysis to split water. It does not emit CO₂.
• Brown hydrogen is created through coal gasification and CO₂ is emitted to the atmosphere.
• Grey hydrogen is produced from methane and releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Explanation :

Context: Recently, the Lok Sabha has passed supplementary demand for grants for the second batch (2020-2021).

The budget contains the ordinary estimates of income and expenditure in a financial year.The parliament can make various other grants under extraordinary or special circumstances. These include:

Constitutional Provision

• Article 115: Supplementary, additional or excess grants
• Article 116: Votes on account, votes of credit and exceptional grants

Supplementary Grant

• It is granted if the amount authorized by the parliament through the appropriation act to be expended for a particular service for the current financial year is found to be insufficient for the purpose of that year.

Additional Grant

• It is granted when a need has arisen during the current financial year for supplementary or additional expenditure upon some new service not contemplated in the Budget for that year.

Excess Grant

• Itis the money given to the government when the already allocated money for expenditure for that year does not turn out to be enough and extra money is sought.
• This demand for extra money or excess grants is made when the expenditure has been incurred after a financial year has expired.
• The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) brings the demand for an excess grant to the notice of Parliament through a report on appropriation account.
• The excess grant is then examined by the Public Accounts Committee, which makes recommendations regarding their regularisation in its report to Parliament.

Vote of Credit

• It is granted for meeting an unexpected demand upon the resources of India, when on account of the magnitude or the indefinite character of the service, the demand cannot be stated with the details ordinarily given in a budget.
• Hence, it is like a blank cheque given to the Executive by the Lok Sabha.

Exceptional Grant

• It is granted for a special purpose and forms no part of the current service of any financial year.

Token Grant

• It is granted when funds to meet proposed expenditure on a new service can be made available by re-appropriation, a demand for the grant of a token sum may be submitted to the vote of the House and, if the House assents to the demand, funds may be so made available.

Explanation :

Context: For the first time ever, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has started work on reopening the crucial Baralacha Pass in Himachal Pradesh much before schedule to restore connectivity to Leh in Ladakh.

• Bara-lacha la also known as Bara-lacha Pass is a high mountain pass in the Zanskar range connecting the Lahaul district in Himachal Pradesh to Leh district in Ladakh.
• It is situated along the Leh–Manali Highway.
• The Bhaga river, a tributary of the Chenab River, originates from Surya Taal lake, which is situated a few kilometres from the pass towards Manali.
• The pass also acts as a water-divide between the Bhaga River and the Yunan River.

Explanation :

Context: The Himachal Pradesh government has decided to start planting seabuckthorn in the cold desert areas of the state this year.

• Seabuckthorn is an ecologically and economically important plant that belongs to the family Elaegnaceae. The species is a wind pollinated dioecious shrub.
• In India, it is found above the tree line in the Himalayan region, generally in dry areas such as the cold deserts of Ladakh and Spiti.
• In Himachal Pradesh, it is locally called chharma and grows in the wild in Lahaul and Spiti and parts of Kinnaur.
• The plant is hardy and it can withstand extreme temperatures from -43ºC to 40ºC and it is considered to be drought tolerant.
• The shrub develops extensive root system having ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen. It is therefore an ideal plant for soil erosion control, land reclamation, wildlife habitat enhancement, and farm stand protection in temperate region.
• As a folk medicine, seabuckthorn has been widely used for treating stomach, heart and skin problems.
• Its fruit and leaves are rich in vitamins, carotenoids and omega fatty acids.
• Besides being an important source of fuelwood and fodder, seabuckthorn is a soil-binding plant which prevents soil-erosion, checks siltation in rivers and helps preserve floral biodiversity.
• It also has commercial value, as it is used in making juices, jams, nutritional capsules.